Truth and Temptation
by helsbels90
Summary: Set 6 months after For Better, For Worse - Max Carter and Lexi are still in a relationship, but now have to juggle their personal and professional lives. When both end up making revelations and dealing with complicated matters at work can they survive the fall out?


Chapter 1:The Truth

Author's Note: This is a sequel to my other Max and OC story For Better For Worse. Not sure where this one is going yet – but I hope you enjoy, please R+R.

Max could sense Lexi's discomfort from across the table, her hand was gripping the stem of her wine glass to the point he was concerned she would snap it. They were listening to her sister regailing them with stories from her recent trip to New York; a trip Lexi knew her mother and step-father had funded – she knew they would happily do the same for her but she didn't expect it like Elise did, and neither would she allow it. Elise was like a one woman show, she barely paused breath in between her sentences and no one else was allowed to draw attention away from her. Looking at her – appropriately sat at the head of the table – Max noted how she looked both incredibly similar and yet totally different to Lexi. Their facial features were alike, but Elise had darker, longer hair, most of which he suspected was fake; she also wore too much make-up and there was so much black and grey surrounding her eyes he found it almost disturbing. He couldn't deny that, eye make-up aside, he found her attractive, how could he not – she reminded him so much of Lexi? But then she opened her mouth and he found her repulsive. Unlike her sister, Elise wanted constant attention, praise and compliments, and had at one point, he was almost certain, insinuated that Lexi was the ugly one of the two sisters. To him Lexi was naturally beautiful, and a large part of that beauty was her personality; he had always struggled to get her to accept and believe his compliments. How different the two really were.

"It's such a shame John couldn't make it tonight!" Elise sighed "You would love him, but he was too busy". Only Lexi's Uncle who was the most patient man she knew replied and continued to listen to Elise's ramblings; while everyone else fidgeted slightly knowing that the real reason that John wasn't at the meal was because he was in fact married. "Anyway do you know what I thought the other day – well I don't know why the idea popped into my head but it did. I thought why not sell my wedding dress. I mean it's just sitting in Auntie Jane's house doing nothing – I should sell it and use the money I wasted on it to buy myself something nice."

"The money mum and Tony wasted on it more like" Lexi muttered so that only her Aunt and Max could hear.

"And you know it's never even been worn apart from at the fittings" Elise added taking a large gulp of wine. Max and Lexi exchanged a knowing look, as Lexi retrieved her wine glass to hide her smirk; while Jane fidgeted with the dessert menu, looking anywhere but at the two police officers sat beside her. The three of them knew that the dress had been worn – by Lexi to create wedding photographs when she and Max had posed as a married couple for a lengthy undercover operation. But none of them wanted to correct Elise's mistake. After ordering their puddings Lexi found herself smiling, she was remembering the day two weeks previously when she had discovered a copy of some of the fake wedding photographs stashed in one of Max's kitchen drawers. He had sheepishly explained that he'd liked them too much to throw them away and that they reminded him of how they had started their relationship – a rare moment of sentimentality for Max Carter.

"So….Mark" Elise began

"Max" Lexi corrected for the hundredth time that evening, through gritted teeth, her smile gone.

"Max – how long have you and my baby sister been going out now then?"

"Nearly six months now." Max answered warily

"Wow! You've managed to hold on to a guy for almost half a year – well done Alexis!" Elise raised a mock toast to her "No seriously I'm impressed – although you know it doesn't count if you're just you know – hooking up now and again!" Max didn't know how to respond, Uncle Peter found a spot on the table cloth incredible fascinating and Jane blushed and momentarily closed her eyes. "I mean its ok if that's all you are – still playing sleep over at each other's." They were saved the need to reply by Elise's cheesecake arriving with a candle stuck in it to wish her happy birthday, and her shamelessly flirting with the poor waiter carrying it. "I'm so glad you didn't get me a cake – that would have been so embarrassing and I would have hated it" She announced, the disappointment on her face saying exactly the opposite.

Half an hour later they waved goodbye to the taxi containing Elise, Lexi gave a loud sigh of relief, before giving both her aunt and uncle warm farewell hugs and starting the short walk home with Max.

"I can see why you don't see very much of your sister" Max broke the silence, squeezing Lexi's fingers that were wrapped around his own.

"Honestly I could throttle her quite happily every time we have to be in the same room. And this whole thing about John, it's like she is happy to lie to our faces – I know he's married – and she knows that I know."

"How did you find out?"

"He got pulled for dangerous driving about a year ago – she called wanted me to try and help it get lost in the system. I said no, absolutely not and then she explained that he had been away with her for the weekend but had told his wife he was on a business trip somewhere totally different so he would get found out. I said even if I could do something about it I wouldn't, and she hasn't really spoken to me since. Plus the car was his wife's!"

"Ohhh nice –very classy!" Max reasoned, Lexi went quiet and seemed to be considering something.

"She has made me think about something pretty serious though. Well; we have been together for six months now and I think we are pretty serious, I mean I don't know how you feel about it…"

"I would definitely say that we were serious!" Max assured her.

"Right, good" Lexi seemed nervous "Well we are obviously more than hooking up now and again. And I am sick of packing a bag to stay at yours and debating whose house we are staying at and when so…why don't we move in together?" Lexi suggested apprehensively as they reached her front door. She was glad of the warmth her house offered, the short walk in freezing weather had made her icy cold.

"I would love to!" Max beamed, but then he frowned slightly "But there is something we need to talk about first. I want this to work and so I need to be totally, utterly honest with you – although I can't promise that you will like what you're about to hear"


End file.
